A man sits by a pool of water. His legs are twisted an useless. He can do little for himself, so he begs for his lively hood. Life has not been cherries for him, so he curses the wind and growls as people skip by. He stopped dreaming long ago of the life he could have led. A stranger approaches him. There is something about him that seems...? The stranger asks the man a question. "Do you want to be well?" The man listens to the question and wonders if he heard correctly. Here he sits dirty, alone, and motionless and the stranger dares to ask him "do you want to be well"? The answer should be simple. It should take the minimum effort of one word. YES. Instead, he finds that his mouth can't form that word. He gives the stranger a what? An excuse. My life is terrible. No one treats me well. All I want is to get into the pool and yet I can't.
That isn't what the stranger asked. So why couldn't he just say 'yes'? Maybe he doesn't really want healing. Maybe he prefers the pity to a promise that comes with a price. Effort.
That is a story based on John 5: 1-15. Jesus approaches an invalid of 38 years and asks him the most ridiculous question possible. "Do you want to get well?" That's like asking a homeless person, "hey, want a house?" The answer should be there before the question is asked. OF COURSE! Of course the lame want to leap and the homeless long for shelter. And yet...
The man responded with an excuse for laying there. As if, faced with the presence of this (I imagine) radiant stranger, he felt some guilt for just sitting there. He didn't say yes. Maybe he knew what might happen if he did. Jesus told him to "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk" (8). He didn't lift the man to his feet and show him how to move. He didn't hand him a bag of money or the deed to a new home. He didn't even offer to pick up his mat and carry it for him. In essence, he told the man to get himself up, clean up his mess and move on.
How often do I sit on my mat by the pool hoping for pity? I don't think it's intentional, but sometimes I just want someone to show they care about what I'm dealing with. "This is really hard for me. Let me tell you about it for a while" When Jesus shows up and asks me that question "do you want to get well?" My soul screams "YES", but my actions give excuses and keep me on the mat. I continue to sit, starring at the water, hoping someone will lift me into it.
Jesus gives us the ability to do what needs doing, but we have to take the next step. He'll hold you while you cry, sit with you while you grieve, but when it's time to move you have to take the step. If a parent constantly carries their child for fear they will get hurt if left alone, the child will never learn to walk. Never be able to take steps of independence. If God is our father, than doesn't it hold that he wants us to be able to take steps too?
The man was comfortable in his ailment, it was all he knew. While likely his greatest dream, to actually be healed was out his comfort zone. Pity parties are easy. Walking is not. Not when you haven't used those legs in while. There is pain as the feeling returns. There is stiffness as unused muscles stretch. But you wanted to get well.
Next he asks you to pick up your mat. Pick up the mess you were sitting in. Pick up the pieces. Don't leave it for the next person, don't kick it to the side. Get rid of it. Do it when people think you're nuts for giving something up. Do it when YOU think you're nuts for giving something up. Then "walk". Move on, get over it, put it in the rear view. Move away from the pool and its trappings and tell everyone you meet who made you well. He gave you the ability, but you have to make the move.
Live well, tell others, the end.
